The present invention relates to improvements to loudspeaker enclosures. Specifically, the present invention relates to an improved lightweight loudspeaker enclosure and an improved method of manufacturing a lightweight loudspeaker enclosure.
Speaker enclosures of the prior art are typically made out of a rigid material and have a box-like shape. The rigid material is generally a dense material, such as plywood or particle board. The front side of the speaker enclosure includes a baffle that has several openings in which the diaphragm portion of the speaker is positioned so that sound can emanate out from the speaker enclosure. This describes the typical speaker enclosure that is used in many different applications including speakers for home use and speakers for use at music concerts.
One drawback that occurs in many large prior art speaker enclosures is that they are very heavy. In particular, the large speakers that arc used, for example, in music concerts require large speaker enclosures. Generally, the enclosures have to be made out of fairly thick material to support the weight of the speakers. Consequently, the speaker enclosures can become very heavy. As can be appreciated, the heavier the speaker enclosure, the more difficult to move and support the speaker enclosure. In some instances, the increased weight results in difficulties in mounting these enclosures.
Yet another difficulty is faced by the manufacturer of loudspeaker enclosures. In order to manufacture lightweight speaker enclosures, manufacturers are often required to assemble a speaker cabinet in one piece out of lightweight materials. This can be time consuming and costly. It may also require the use of expensive assembly equipment.
To address these problems, some speaker enclosure designers have built enclosures for speakers out of materials that are lightweight and could, conceivably, absorb some errant sound waves. One example of such an enclosure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,195, which discloses a loudspeaker enclosure made out of corrugated sheets of material. The corrugated sheets of material include hollow portions. Each of these sheets is joined to each other in a box-like configuration. Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,403, which discloses a lightweight loudspeaker enclosure that uses a rigid, lightweight honeycombed material in part of the speaker enclosure. While the weight characteristics and sound performance of the speaker enclosures disclosed above may be improved by the use of corrugated material, the enclosures disclosed in both these patents still have some surfaces which will vibrate in response to errant sound waves and thereby reduce the overall efficiency and sound performance of the speakers.
Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,999, which discloses a speaker enclosure having a substantially seamless rigid outer skin, a middle absorbing layer and a substantially seamless inner skin. The speaker enclosure is substantially seamless to dampen the transmission of errant sound waves. However, the speaker enclosure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,999 is fabricated by a mold process and thus involves a complex method of manufacturing.
Hence, there is a need in the art for a lightweight speaker enclosure that performs multiple functions. The speaker enclosure of the present invention serves as a rigid yet lightweight structure to support and orient the speaker drivers in position for suitable sound projection and it provides a defined air mass with which the speaker piston can interact to accomplish efficient transfer of low frequency energy. There is also a need for a method of manufacturing a lightweight speaker enclosure in which the speaker enclosure is constructed from lightweight panels and the individual panels are then easily assembled into the speaker enclosure.
The present invention is a loudspeaker enclosure and a method of manufacturing a loudspeaker enclosure. The loudspeaker enclosure of the present invention is designed to serve as a structure to support and orient the speaker drivers in a position for suitable sound projection and it provides a defined air mass with which the speaker piston can interact to accomplish efficient transfer of low frequency energy.
In one aspect of the invention, a loudspeaker enclosure is provided which is easily and inexpensively manufactured with simple, commonly available materials and tools. The loudspeaker enclosure comprises a base panel, a first side panel configured to attach to the base panel, a second side panel configured to attach to the base panel, a top panel configured to attach to the first side panel and the second side panel, a front panel configured to attach to the base panel, the first side panel, the second side panel, and the top panel, the front panel defining at least one loudspeaker opening configured to receive a loudspeaker, and a rear panel configured to attach to the base panel, the first side panel, the second side panel, and the top panel.
In another aspect of the invention a method of manufacturing a loudspeaker enclosure is disclosed. The method comprises providing a base panel, attaching to the base panel a first side panel such that a first side panel first mounting feature interlocks with a first base mounting feature, attaching to the base panel a second side panel such that a second side panel first mounting feature interlocks with a second base mounting feature, providing a top panel configured to attach to the first side panel and the second side panel, attaching a front panel to the first base panel groove, to the first side panel first groove, and to the second side panel first groove such that the front panel has at least one loudspeaker opening configured to receive a loudspeaker, attaching a rear panel to the second base panel groove, to the first side panel second groove, and to the second side panel second groove, and attaching the top panel to the first side panel second mounting feature via the top panel first mounting feature, to the second side panel second mounting feature via the top panel second mounting feature, to the front panel via the top panel first groove, and to the rear panel via the top panel second groove.